New Features for ExpertRFP: August 2017

As we all know, the typical RFP process is lengthy and labor-intensive, spanning many weeks and consuming valuable labor hours. To enhance our existing ExpertRFP platform — which expedites the RFP process with category-specific templates, analyst consultations, a scorecard tool, and more — we have added complementary features and functionality to make ExpertRFP work smarter for you. After gathering feedback from our clients, we are excited to launch our newest enhancements to the ExpertRFP product!

Features Overview

New RFP Creator Role

In prior versions of ExpertRFP, a user had to be designated as an Administrator to gain access to creating new RFPs, but doing so also gave that user access to view, edit, and delete all other RFPs in the organization. Now, with the new RFP Creator Role, a user can gain access to create RFPs without also receiving free reign over all RFPs system-wide.

RFP Creators can create RFPs for their organization, but will not have access to view, edit, or delete other RFPs they didn’t create. When an RFP Creator creates an RFP, they will become the RFP Owner, controlling the content and workflow of an RFP. The RFP Creator will also gain the ability to designate users as RFP Collaborators with read-only access to the RFP.

RFP Template Preview

MD Buyline’s ExpertRFP platform has an extensive Template Library, including over 100 RFP templates spanning a variety of capital equipment and purchased services categories. Despite our organization of RFPs based on category, navigating our selection of templates can prove difficult if the user is not certain which template is needed.

To address this issue, we have added a template preview function, allowing the user to view the contents of our RFP template prior to creating the RFP. When scrolling through the list of RFP templates, the user simply clicks the “Preview” button to the right of each template name to view the pre-built RFP questions for each RFP.

Hospital RFP Preview

When designing an RFP and customizing the contents, users often want to see the RFP from the perspective of the respondent. In the past, users would send the RFP to themselves to get the perspective of the vendor before submitting the RFP, but this resulted in a locked RFP with no ability to make any necessary changes. To prevent this burden, we have created an RFP Preview feature when building an RFP.

Clicking the RFP Preview button when building an RFP opens a separate window, giving the user access to a read-only version of the RFP. Additionally, an “Export” button allows the user to save the RFP as a PDF, making sharing the RFP with stakeholders and collaborators easier.

Vendor RFP Export to PDF

Previously, a vendor who clicked “submit” on an RFP response would be locked out of the RFP and have access to neither the RFP questions nor their responses. This would lead to frustration when the vendor was asked to clarify a response and had no resource to reference when replying.

To remedy this, we have provided the vendor a PDF export functionality that is available both during the submission window and after the RFP has been submitted and closed. This results in clearer communications from vendors and a smoother overall RFP experience for both parties.

Conclusion

With the introduction of four new features, ExpertRFP is now easier to use than ever. As we look forward to rolling out updates in the future, we would love to hear from those using our product for suggestions on improvements. We highly value our members’ input when developing new content for ExpertRFP, so if you or your team have recommendations for future enhancements, please reach out to your account manager.

If you or your team would like user training on ExpertRFP and its new features, please contact our training team at Training@mdbuyline.com. You can also watch the brief recorded demo.

Supply chain executives have no shortage of opportunities to provide value to their health systems. Purchased services is one such opportunity, and a big one at that.
The supply chain director is the...

U.S. health care providers are faced with solving the supply shortfall of medical professionals while the demand of patient care continues to grow. Because of health care reform, the number of insured...